Ladies who have rediscovered sewing in order to provide stylish and well-fitting clothes for their children. As our kids are growing up, they are not yet physically ready or mature enough for adult clothes, and thus adult patterns. So we are in search of fun, functional, and fashionable pre-teen patterns to share with you. Our primary goal is to assist in making sewing for tweens a fun experience for the sewer and the model!

Pages

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

So the question was, 'Would they wear overalls?'
Surprisingly (that said with a little bit of sarcasm...because it seems most tweens don't want to be wearing overalls), there aren't that many tween overall patterns out there.
Here's what we came up with:

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

It is a dress that is perfect for a tween...trendy looking and can be dressed up or down and can be made with a mixture of fabrics. It also has 3 sleeve options and 3 skirt options...that makes quite a lot of options to mix and match. I did the elbow sleeves with the high/low skirt.

The size range is great too...from 2T-16, so one that will definitely grow with them.

Materials Required: The only thing needed is the fabric. The top needs to be knit/stretch, but the bottom can be anything light weight. I used some of the nice knit I got as part of my winnings. It came from Nosh fabrics and was divine to work with. The bottom was some kind of crepe like fabric that I had laying around. The bodice is lined and there is an underskirt as well, which I just used plain white jersey for both.

I would say that it is for an advanced beginner...the bodice assembly is a little different, but the instructions are great.

Good: Easy sew that is costumizable . The fact that the top is knit is perfect for a tween's changing body. And it's a pattern that would really let their personality show through, depending on which fabric they chose.

Bad: I think the 'look' needs a belt or something at the waist because the line looks visually off some how...maybe the whole design 3/5ths rule??? Not really that big of a deal and is probably just me...

Ugly: Nothing.

I give this one a 4 bolt rating!

And right now you can get a 20% off discount by using code word 'bluezette' at checkout over at Love Notions. You should go check out the site if you wondering about how this dress works for tweens...she's got some great pictures up, including the cover one.

Disclaimer: The opinions given are my own and I did not receive any compensation for this review.

We got the pattern as part of the Boys Bundle Up Sale a while back and I put it on my to-sew pile for a nice lined winter shirt for my girl's. You can now purchase it separately over at Patterns for Pirates.

It comes 3 months to 14...so it's got a wide range.

You'll need buttons and interfacing in addition to the yardage required

I would say that this pattern would be a little bit of a challenge for the advanced beginner seamstress that wants to push herself to the next level...especially the lined option. The instructions are great and easy to follow though.

The only part of the pattern I deviated from is to not use interfacing...which worked fine with the lined version because there was enough layers of fabric to give it stability.

I also changed how I finished the hood biased tape. I sewed it down flat onto the shirt instead of the called for just enclosing the raw seam.

Good: Great versatile pattern that works great for boys and girls, easy to follow instructions that result in a nice looking button up shirt.

Bad: I feel like it ran a little small in the shoulders and arm length, but maybe it was just the bulk of a lined shirt. The hood however, was very small.

Friday, February 20, 2015

We were asked to be a part of a blog tour of the Extraordinary Girl top pattern by Filles a Maman and when we saw the top, we immediately said YES. There are a lot of great bloggers that have already shared their version of this top, so please go check out what they have done.

And since we both wanted to sew the top...you get a couple of different versions just from us!

And at the end of this post, there is a huge giveaway that you can enter!

The top has a fun neckline of overlapping shoulders and lots of opportunities for color blocking. It also is available for purchase in adult and child sizes. (separate pattern for each...but there is an option to bundle for a discount)

Sizes available: The children's pattern comes in sizes 12 months to 14 years. The woman's pattern is available up to XXL. You can buy them separately or you can bundle the 2 for a discounted price.

Special materials
required: This pattern requires knit fabrics with at least a 40% stretch but is not recommended for knits with more than 70% stretch. The pattern instructions tell you how to test the stretch of your fabric.

Skill level required: Beginner! If you are looking to try sewing knits for the first time, this is a great pattern for you because it is super simple and you do not have to do a circular ribbing at the neck.

How you came to
choose the pattern: We picked this pattern because of the blog tour, but I am so glad we got invited. I love Filles a Maman patterns as they are simple and right on trend.

We each made slight modifications to the pattern to fit our girlss style.

On Abi's top, I did deviate from the pattern slightly. I added a slim band of purple on the sleeves to finish them.

For Sophia's I added a lace overlay, which was basically cutting out and sewing 2 of the top insert pieces together.

Good: The good about the pattern is that it is so easy and it is stylish for a girl or woman. I loved wearing mine and we did not feel too matchy-matchy as we went about our day's activities. (We went to the local nature center and learned about the science of snowflakes.) The boat neck and the high/low hem also makes it a great variation to the standard T-shirt.

Bad: With the overlap shoulder, Abi's cami straps did show. I did not have that problem, so it may be just the way her skinny shoulders are built.

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Denim Overalls...oh do they bring back memories. I had a pair in junior high, I'll confess to that and to wearing them with my Converse high tops, with maybe a rugby shirt underneath...high fashion, I'm telling you.

These 3 looks are all from the high end French line BonPoint (pictures are the links), the first two are from the children's line that goes up to tween sizes and the last one is from the young misses line. I've also seen overalls at Target and other big box retailers...so the question is:

Would Your Tween Wear Overalls?

And the other question is, do you think it would make a difference if it was shorts or pants?

Monday, February 16, 2015

As promised, here is a review of the Simplicity 1548 Skirt (the shirt is of my own making...more on that at the end). It's one of their Project Runway patterns, which means it has a bunch of options...they were kind of like the precursor to pdf patterns, where you could pick and chose different options all from one pattern. I picked up mine on a .99 cent sale at JoAnn's a few years back...you can't beat a pattern for a dollar.

Size: The pattern comes in sizes 8-16...just perfect for tweens.

Materials: All that is required is the fabric and elastic for the waist. I used some stretch pleather type fabric that my sister had given me.

Skill Level: This would be a good pattern for a beginner.

I followed the pattern as is and like the trendy look that is perfect for tweens wanting to express themselves.

The Good: I like how the skirt looks feminine without looking girly (so does my daughter). I like the price and that you can get it for $1. It's also an easy pattern to follow and assemble.

The Bad: It runs a lot short...I think it needs another ruffle or at least to make the bottom one a little longer. That being said, I'm okay with her wearing it with leggings. If I make another I would make it longer though.

All in all, I give this one 4 bolts!

As for the shirt, this is my own creation. I took a shirt that she loves and used it as a template. The actual shirt is just 2 pieces, with the seams running on top of the shoulders and arms and then the side seams. Then I just added the cuffs and hem band, which are doubled over rectangles really. Super easy and she loves it...win, win!

And a gratuitous dog picture to show you why I'm not getting as much done these days. This is Max and he's keeping me busy these days. They aren't kidding when they say having a puppy is like having another kid in the house, but he's cute so I think we'll keep him.

Friday, February 13, 2015

This is my post over at Daisy Chain Creations, but since the skirt is such a great look for tweens (in my opinion...a little more grown up/sophisticated looking), I thought I'd share it here too.

The lovely ladies over at Frances Suzanne are changing up their FLIP Series a little this month. All month long they are spotlighting FLIPs of free patterns/tutorials.

So here is my most popular post...all time, my tutorial for a Kick Pleat Skirt (it's also one of my favorite things I've made). So if you need a reminder here is a picture of the original finished skirt.

For my FLIP I turned it into a dress and changed up the kick pleats.

It's really hard to tell in the pictures, but I pleated the small panel used in the kick pleat. I did this by using the stripes in the fabric as a guide and just kept pleating so that only the maroon shows. It also gives the kick pleat more of a...kick so to say. Even though the skirt is kind of fitted she has no problem walking in it.

I kind of like how she can dress this up or down. My original vision was more flapper girl/20's style...but it turned out a little different after consulting Sophia.

Here's a picture where you can see the pleats a little better. We also went sans bow because it just didn't go well with the style of the dress or with the busyness of the stripes...running down the middle of the white stripes is also a silver stripe that doesn't show up in the pictures. It really is a pretty fabric (JoAnn's in the red tag fabric section) and is kind of a nod to the Pantone Color of the Year--Marsala. The stripes aren't quite maroon (I know that because I couldn't really find buttons to match), but more of a wine color, just like Marsala.

Saturday, February 7, 2015

I agree with Karly in that 2014 is a year I could just shake it off and start afresh...it was kind of a tough year for me.

But that's not the point...the point is this awesome dance outfit that Sophia really wanted.

The shorts are made from the newly released women's yoga pants pattern by Peek-a-Boo Pattern (affiliate link). I made the xxsmall and did a 1 inch seam allowance to make them fit. The leopard print is a nod to the video. The fabric came from this huge box of knit/stretchy stuff my sister sent me from her fabric stash (she's a quilter so didn't need her knit).

Sophia says they fit great and can't wait to wear them to dance.

For the shirt I used an Old Navy shirt as the template. She wears the shirt to dance a lot because it's comfortable and moves easily. It's just a front and back piece with the arm and waist bands. Very easy to put together and she loves it.

Sophia takes ballet, tap and lyrical. For ballet she wears a black skirt over her leotard. For tap they can wear shorts over the leotard and then for lyrical they can wear things like shirts and yoga pants. Now she's covered.

The skirt is one that we already had planned, but it went so well with the 'theme' that we had to include it with the outfit. There is so much 'leather look' in the video this pleather skirt was perfect for it. It is made from Simplicity Project Runway Collection #1548. It's a great pattern and I have plans to do a more thorough review of not only the skirt but the shirt as well for a different post.

As for the yoga pants/shorts...it's a great, simple pattern. You just need the recommended amount of fabric and if desired, a zipper for a phone pouch.

The Good: Simple, FAST and very comfortable. Instructions are easy to follow and they go together so fast...seriously think the taping of the pattern takes longer than the sewing of the pants.

The Bad: Most tweens are going to fall in between the 2 sizes of patterns, girl's/women's and you might be buying the size up in just a few months. Girl's goes up to size 12 with a 26 inch waist and the women's starts off at xxsmall with a 33 inch waist. My using a 1 inch seam, seemed to do the trick. Sophia has a 26 1/2 inch waist and our fabric wasn't super stretchy.

The Ugly: Nothing really...

Just another look at the shirt

And another look at the skirt, with a review coming next week.

So go ahead and go watch 'Shake It Off' and see if it doesn't get stuck in your head!